The fatal stabbing of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail train has reignited national debate over transit safety. Security footage showed the unprovoked attack, prompting federal investigation and sparking broader questions about how to protect riders in open, accessible public transit environments.

While some argue for airport-style security measures, Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris, interim dean at UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and a transit safety expert, cautions against solutions that could slow down the very systems meant to move people quickly.

“Transit systems have to be open and accessible. It’s very difficult to install measures that you put, for example, in airports because the public is not going to accept such delays,” Loukaitou-Sideris explained.

She suggests exploring advanced scanning technologies at major hubs that can detect weapons without lengthy lines, though such systems remain costly. Loukaitou-Sideris also noted the limits of any single measure: even with cameras and increased patrols, unpredictable incidents can still occur. The tragedy underscores the tension between maintaining accessibility and ensuring safety in public transit.